Big East to give ESPN chance to match offer...

[CaribouJim]

There's a chance the Big East and ESPN will stick together. Thursday, the Big East was scheduled to present ESPN the terms of its potential contract with NBC Sports, according to a source.
ESPN will have a chance to match NBC Sports' offer, which a source confirmed is between $20 and $23 million per year for six years. ESPN is the current Big East rights holder and has the contractual option to match any offer that the league gets.
This allows ESPN a chance to stock up live programming inventory at a cheap rate and keep it off the air of one of its competitors. ESPN has seven days to respond to the terms the Big East presented it with.
The Big East has been decimated by defections the past two years, losing marquee schools West Virginia, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Louisville and Rutgers. Nearly two years ago, the league turned down an offer from ESPN worth more than four times as much money.

Seven of the league's Catholic schools also left, greatly reducing the value of the league's basketball rights. Those schools have broken off to form their own league, which has long been locked in with Fox for a television deal. That deal is expected to be worth nearly $3 million per school annually, which would be more than the current Big East schools would be making under the new deal.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college-basketball/news/20130214/big-east-tv-negotiations/?eref=sircrc

[Phantom Warrior]

It just breaks my heart thinking about Cincy and UConn getting less t.v. revenue than MU and the rest of the Skyline Conference will get (I like that name should we lose rights to the name Big East).

As for Memphis, Temple, ECU, SMU, UCF, and Houston - they will be getting more than they would have in their former conference.

That leaves only USF, and the Bulls should never have been invited to join the BE in the first place.

Had UConn and Cincy not tried to bolt for the ACC, I would feel differently about their plight. They will get what they deserve.

[TheSultan]

It just breaks my heart thinking about Cincy and UConn getting less t.v. revenue than MU and the rest of the Skyline Conference will get (I like that name should we lose rights to the name Big East).


We'd have to pay someone off for that name.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyline_Conference

Also, that was a predecessor name of the WAC.

[Goose85]

It just breaks my heart thinking about Cincy and UConn getting less t.v. revenue than MU and the rest of the Skyline Conference will get (I like that name should we lose rights to the name Big East).

As for Memphis, Temple, ECU, SMU, UCF, and Houston - they will be getting more than they would have in their former conference.

That leaves only USF, and the Bulls should never have been invited to join the BE in the first place.



I like the Skyline Conference name. Also like the Big City Conference too. I'm not as concerned with the name as I am with the Garden for the Tournament.

USF has been good to some Big East teams for football, namely Louisville who I think had something like 30 players on their roster from the state of Florida. Cincy had about 20 on their roster too. Playing in the state helps that. I really think USF and UCF have a ton of potential from a football standpoint. Just need a good coach.

[wiscwarrior]

I like the Skyline Conference name. Also like the Big City Conference too. I'm not as concerned with the name as I am with the Garden for the Tournament.

USF has been good to some Big East teams for football, namely Louisville who I think had something like 30 players on their roster from the state of Florida. Cincy had about 20 on their roster too. Playing in the state helps that. I really think USF and UCF have a ton of potential from a football standpoint. Just need a good coach.

Personally I like the name "Big Metro" if we lose the Big East name. Kind of ties the new league in with the old league with the term "Big" and we do intend to be "big players" in college basketball.:cool:

[pbiflyer]

Personally I like the name "Big Metro" if we lose the Big East name. Kind of ties the new league in with the old league with the term "Big" and we do intend to be "big players" in college basketball.:cool:

But what if one of the schools was not in a metro area. The name wouldn't fit. That's be like calling a conference the Big Ten and have 11,12,13,14, tbd teams........:D

[wiscwarrior]

But what if one of the schools was not in a metro area. The name wouldn't fit. That's be like calling a conference the Big Ten and have 11,12,13,14, tbd teams........:D

No name is perfect. Don't think there's much of a skyline in Omaha. There not a lot "East" about Milwaukee, not a lot "Southeast" about Missouri. At least Omaha's metro area is the biggest in its state.

[IWB]

I still like The Big East.

[ValiantSailor]

I still like The Big East.

That's been my position, too, but I'm starting to warm to the idea that the new conference deserves a new name that identifies its members, just as "Big East" once defined its membership. I'm not clever enough to come up with the perfect name, but something along the lines of "Big City" or "Big Metro" (would we have to pay the old Metro Conference for that name?) or even "Basketball One" would suit me...just as long as we got the Garden for our tourney.

VS

[Goose85]

That's been my position, too, but I'm starting to warm to the idea that the new conference deserves a new name that identifies its members, just as "Big East" once defined its membership. I'm not clever enough to come up with the perfect name, but something along the lines of "Big City" or "Big Metro" (would we have to pay the old Metro Conference for that name?) or even "Basketball One" would suit me...just as long as we got the Garden for our tourney.

VS

I'm with VS.

Initially I really wanted the Big East name. Now I am coming around to the idea of a new conference name / new identity just like VS said, as long as we get the Garden.

Will the Big East, now with the lack of funds coming from a tv deal, be more inclined to work out a deal with (sell) the B7 for the rights to host the tournament at The Garden?
Would Fed Ex making it worthwhile to the NBE ($$$) to host the tourney in Memphis.

To the B7, what would working with the Big East on getting the Garden for the tourney be worth? $10 million?

[Phantom Warrior]

Let's see. Providence, New York City, Philadelphia, Chicago, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and Omaha.

How about the Rust Belt Conference? D.C. probably doesn't quite fit, but the rest qualify.

Obviously, it would never be called "The Rust Belt Conference."

[Phantom Warrior]

Hey, I have an idea for a name.

How about "The Phoenix Conference" as in rising from the ashes of the former Big East. Granted, it would be a bit weird as some might think instead of the city of Phoenix, but I like the concepts of surviving and thriving.

Other positives include all kinds of neat visual symbols.
http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?_adv_prop=image&fr=yfp-t-701-s&va=phoenix+mythological+bird

Plus, I just found this out from Wikipedia, the concept is also related to Christian belief.

"In Greek mythology, a phoenix or phenix (Ancient Greek φοίνιξ phóinīx) is a long-lived bird that is cyclically regenerated or reborn. Associated with the sun, a phoenix obtains new life by arising from the ashes of its predecessor. The phoenix was subsequently adopted as a symbol in Early Christianity. The phoenix is referenced in modern popular culture.

In his study of the phoenix, R. van der Broek summarizes, that, in the historical record, the phoenix "could symbolize renewal in general as well as the sun, Time, the Empire, metempsychosis, consecration, resurrection, life in the heavenly Paradise, Christ, Mary, virginity, the exceptional man, and certain aspects of Christian life".[1]

[MU/Panther]

I really hope NBC get the Big East. It would be a good thing for both.

[MUBB713]

I'd rather have ESPN on our side. I hope they match the offer.

[warriorfan4life]

I'd rather have ESPN on our side. I hope they match the offer.

This the branch of the Big East we are leaving behind. I like the idea of going with Fox, who has done an excellent job of promoting sports in the past.

[TheSultan]

Let's see. Providence, New York City, Philadelphia, Chicago, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and Omaha.

How about the Rust Belt Conference? D.C. probably doesn't quite fit, but the rest qualify.

Obviously, it would never be called "The Rust Belt Conference."


Depending on the definition you use, none of those cities are actually in the Rust Belt.

[pbiflyer]

No name is perfect. Don't think there's much of a skyline in Omaha. There not a lot "East" about Milwaukee, not a lot "Southeast" about Missouri. At least Omaha's metro area is the biggest in its state.

I was joking. It was just a chance to take a poke at the Big TenElevenTwelve.....

[wiscwarrior]

I was joking. It was just a chance to take a poke at the Big TenElevenTwelve.....

Gotcha... I'm kinda slow sometimes

[MKE_GoldenEagleFan]

My concern with taking the Big East name is that whenever its discussed everyone is going to have the same reaction of, "well it's not as good as it once was" ... To me that is not how you want to start your new league. I use to be on board but the more I think about it I just think starting fresh may be better.

[MayorBeluga]

Said it before and will say it again: Madison Square Garden for the conference tournament matters WAY more than the conference name. If you've been there, you understand how 33rd & 7th matters.

[MKE_GoldenEagleFan]

I get what your saying and I would love to make it out there to experience it but I'm afraid it won't be the same as it was and we will forever be compared to the epic games and experience of the old Big East tournament. I don't think this new league wants to draw and comparisons because they simply won't be as good as what it was. That's why I say start something new and fresh so that it won't be compared in a negative way.

[wiscwarrior]

I get what your saying and I would love to make it out there to experience it but I'm afraid it won't be the same as it was and we will forever be compared to the epic games and experience of the old Big East tournament. I don't think this new league wants to draw and comparisons because they simply won't be as good as what it was. That's why I say start something new and fresh so that it won't be compared in a negative way.

We can't forget that the old Big East started in much the same way with many schools having to build to current Big East standards (among them UConn and Georgetown). If a comparison is made, it should be to the beginnings of the old Big East and I think the B7+ would compare favorably. I believe the old Big East began their tournament in the Garden so why not ours?